A current healthcare challenge particularly in the United States, is the activity of providing healthcare to our senior citizens. The senior citizen population are expected to go up by over 50% in the next decade leading to a significant increased demand for care delivery. There are numerous inventions trying to address this problem from simple mobile apps to small specific built devices to help various aspects of managing health. Many of these have great utility and are backed with hard science, extensive studies, and research.
Implementation and management of healthcare programs, for example weight management programs, can benefit from developing data reflective of the program participants activities and habits including dietary and exercise regimes. It is found that utilizing a computer that enables a participant to record data helps a caregiver or program manager optimize program affects.
Unfortunately, participants may not be eager to record data on a continuing basis. Further, it is a well studied fact that participants' emotional states and health are relevant to the outcome of any healthcare program, including weight management. Programs that focus both on a participants emotional well-being in addition to physical well-being yields better results than focusing only on the latter.
Kidd, Cory David (February 2008) Designing for Long-Term Human-Robot Interaction and Application to Weight Loss (Doctoral dissertation), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (hereinafter “Kidd”) describes and supports many aspects of utilization of a social robot system for improving weight loss program deliver. The results of using this social robot system exceed the results from utilizing a computer to enter data reflective of a weight loss regime. This is due to the emotional benefit that a robotic companion provides to participants. Kidd describes the use of a small stationary humanoid type rudimentary robot that engages patients using basic audio communication techniques.
U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2007/0159779 to Chang discloses a personal computer disguised as a figurine. The figurine includes motion sensors and optical sensors to detect action near the figurine. The computer includes servo motors and other devices capable of enabling responsive gestures to external stimuli.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,073 B1 to Tumey et al. describes a robotic toy capable of recognizing human users and inanimate objects. The robot includes the ability to recognize facial features and expressions. This enables the robot to identify and interact with particular users in unique ways.
U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2006/0234602 A1 to Palmquist describes a figurine that communicates with and utilizes the processing capability of an external computer via a network. This device has expanded interactive capability including voice recognition and responsive communication because the computing capability need not be built into the figurine.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,588,887, issued on Nov. 19, 2013 to Arneson et al., discloses an ingestible sensor system that is swallowed. The sensor system includes an ingestible sensor that communicates an acoustic signal to a signal amplifier attached to the user. The amplifier communicates wirelessly to a network for communicating health and diagnostic data to a health care provider.
While these figurine robots represent advancements in the art, their design and capabilities are limited. What is desired is a robot and an entire system that enables long term interaction with a health care program participant to monitor both physical and emotional health. What is also desired is a way of providing improved life quality to participants through the use of health care monitoring and delivery at home instead of confinement in a health care facility. What is further desired is a way to improve the lives of those people, especially senior citizens suffering with memory issues, and that need companionship. A way of improving diet, lifestyle, safety, and healthcare is desired. Further, a way to enable adherence to “care plans” including those designed by care delivery professionals. What is further desired is a way of people in an extended care network including family, friends and other appropriate people is desired.